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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index

of Expansive Soil
Phani Kumar Vaddi1, T.Balaji Tilak2, N.AnandVeera Kumar3,
K.Sumanth Kumar4
1

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Gudlavalleru engineering College,

Gudlavalleru,Krishnadt,A.P
2
IV B.Tech, student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Gudlavalleru engineering College, Gudlavalleru,Krishnadt, A.P
3
IV B.Tech, student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Gudlavalleru engineering College, Gudlavalleru,Krishnadt, A.P
4
IV B.Tech, student, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Gudlavalleru engineering College, Gudlavalleru,Krishnadt, A.P

ABSTRACT - The rapid growth in population and industrialization cause generation of large
quantities of effluents. The bulkeffluents generated from industrial activities are discharged either
treated or untreated over the soil leading to changes in soil properties causing improvement or
degradation of engineering behaviour of soil. If there is an improvement in engineering behaviour of
soil, there is a value addition to the industrial wastes serving thethree benefits of safe disposal of
effluent, using as a stabilizer and return of income on it. If there is degradationof engineering behaviour
of soil then solution for decontamination is to be obtained. Hence an attempt is madein this investigation
to study the effect of Textile effluent on the Differential free swell index Value of an expansive soil.
Key Words:Expansive soil, textile effluent, Liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index and Differential
free swell index.

I. Introduction
The Index and Engineering properties of the ground gets modified in the vicinity of the industrialplants
mainly as a result of contamination by the industrial wastes disposed. The major sources ofsurface and
subsurface contamination are the disposal of industrial wastes and accidental spillage ofchemicals during the
course of industrial operations. The leakage of industrial effluent into subsoildirectly affects the use and stability
of the supported structure. Results of some studies indicate thatthe detrimental effect of seepage of acids and
bases into sub soil can cause severe foundation failures.
Extensive cracking damage to the floors, pavement and foundations of light industrial buildings in
afertilizer plant in Kerala state was reported by Sridharan (1981).Severe damage occurred tointerconnecting
pipe of a phosphoric acid storage tank in particular and also to the adjacent buildingsdue to differential
movements between pump and acid tank foundations of fertilizer plant in Calgary,Canada was reported by Joshi
(1994). A similar case of accidental spillage of highly concentratedcaustic soda solution as a result of spillage
from cracked drains in an industrial establishment inTema, Ghana caused considerable structural damage to a
light industrial buildings in the factory, inaddition to localized subsidence of the affected area has been reported
by Kumapley (1985).
Therefore, it is a better to start ground monitoring from the beginning of a project instead of waitingfor
complete failure of the ground to support human activities and then start remedial actions.
The Index and Engineering properties of the ground gets modified in the vicinity of the industrialplants
mainly as a result of contamination by the industrial wastes disposed. The major sources ofsurface and
subsurface contamination are the disposal of industrial wastes and accidental spillage ofchemicals during the
course of industrial operations. The leakage of industrial effluent into subsoildirectly affects the use and stability
of the supported structure. Results of some studies indicate thatthe detrimental effect of seepage of acids and
bases into sub soil can cause severe foundation failures.
Extensive cracking damage to the floors, pavement and foundations of light industrial buildings in
afertilizer plant in Kerala state was reported by Sridharan (1981).Severe damage occurred tointerconnecting
pipe of a phosphoric acid storage tank in particular and also to the adjacent buildingsdue to differential
movements between pump and acid tank foundations of fertilizer plant in Calgary,Canada was reported by Joshi
(1994). A similar case of accidental spillage of highly concentratedcaustic soda solution as a result of spillage
from cracked drains in an industrial establishment inTema, Ghana caused considerable structural damage to a
light industrial buildings in the factory, inaddition to localized subsidence of the affected area has been reported

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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index of Expansive Soil
by Kumapley (1985).Therefore, it is a better to start ground monitoring from the beginning of a project instead
of waitingfor complete failure of the ground to support human activities and then start remedial actions.
In many situations, soils in natural state do not present adequate geotechnical properties to be used as
road service layers, foundation layers and as a construction material. In order to adjust their geotechnical
parameters to meet the requirements of technical specifications of construction industry, studying soil
stabilization is more emphasized. Hence an attempt has been made by researchers to use industrial wastes as soil
stabilizers so that there is a value addition to the industrial wastes and at the same time environmental pollution
can also minimized.
Hence an attempt is made in this investigation to study the effect of Textile effluent on the Differential
free swell index of an expansive soil.

II. Experimental Investigations

2.1. Materials used
2.1.1. Soil
Expansive soils due to its swelling nature it causes lot of damages to Civil Engineering structures
which are constructed over them. These type of soils are very sensitive to changes in environment such as
change in applied stress, Pore fluid chemistry and its surrounding environmental conditions. Hence expansive
soil is considered for investigation.
The soil used for this investigation is obtained from Pamarru, Krishna district. The dried and pulverized
material passing through I.S.4.75 mm sieve is taken for the study. The properties of the soil are given in Table.1.
The soil is classified as CH as per I.S. Classification (IS 1498:1970) indicating that it is inorganic clay of high
plasticity. It is highly expansive as the Differential Free Swell Index (DFSI) is 191.8%.
Table 1
TABLE 2.Properties of the Untreated Soil
SI. No.
1.

2.

Property
Grain size distribution
(a)Gravel (%)
(b)Sand (%)
(c)Silt & Clay (%)
Atterberg Limits
(a) Liquid Limit (%)
(b)Plastic Limit (%)
(c) Plasticity Index (%)

Value
0
2
98
84
36
48

3.

Differential free swelling Index (%)

191.8

4.

Specific gravity

2.73

5.

pH value

8.83

2.1.2Textile effluent
Textile effluent is a coloured liquid and soluble in water. The chemical properties of the effluent are
shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3 Chemical Composition of Textile Effluent
SI.No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

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PARAMETER
Colour
pH
Sulphates
Chlorides
Acidity
Alkalinity
Suspended solids
Total solids
BOD
COD

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VALUE
Blue
8.83
260 mg/l
380 mg/l
0
2400 mg/l
1500 gm
13.50gm
150 mg/l
6200 mg/l

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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index of Expansive Soil
III. Procedure For Mixing
The soil from the site is dried and hand sorted to remove the pebbles and vegetative matter if any. It is
further dried and pulverized and sieved through a sieve of 4.75mm to eliminate gravel fraction if any. The dried
and sieved soil is stored in air tight containers and ready to use for mixing with effluents.
The soil sample so prepared is then mixed with solutions of different concentrations of Textile effluent. The
percentage varied from 20 to 100% in increment of 20%.The soil - effluent mixtures are mixed thoroughly
before testing.

IV. Tests Conducted On Treated Soil

The following tests have been conducted in this investigation.
4.1 Plasticity Characteristics
For the studying the plasticity characteristics, Liquid Limit and plastic Limit tests have been carried out
for the Soil under treated and untreated conditions.
4.1.1 Liquid Limit
Liquid limit tests are conducted at various percentages of Textile effluent. About 120 g of an air-dried
sample passing through 425- I.S. sieve is taken in a dish and mixed with certain amount of water to form a
uniform paste. A portion of this paste is placed in the cup of the liquid limit device and surface is smoothened
and leveled with a spatula to a maximum depth of 10 mm. A groove is cut through the sample along the
symmetrical axis of the cup, preferably in one stoke, using a standard grooving tool.
After the soil pat has been cut by a proper grooving tool, the handle is turned at a rate of 2 revolutions
per second until the two parts of the soil sample come into contact at the bottom of the groove along a distance
of 12mm .About 15g of soil near the closed groove is taken for water content determination. The liquid limit is
the water content at which the soil is sufficient fluid to flow when the device is given 25 blows. As it is difficult
to get exactly 25 blows for the sample to flow ,the test is conducted at different water contents so as to get blows
in the range of 10 to 40.The soil in the cup is transferred to the dish containing the soil paste and mixed
thoroughly after adding more water. The soil sample is again taken in the cup of the liquid limit device and the
test is repeated.
4.1.2 Plastic Limit
About 30g of soil, passing through 425- I.S. Sieve, is taken in evaporating dish. It is mixed
thoroughly with water till it becomes plastic, and can be easily moulded with fingers. About 10g of the plastic
soil mass is taken in one hand and a ball is formed. The ball is rolled with fingers on a glass plate to form a soil
thread of uniform diameter as shown in Fig 2.3. The rate of rolling is kept about 80 to 90 strokes per minute. If
the diameter of the thread becomes approximately 3mm and if it starts just crumbling that water content is
known as the plastic limit.
4.1.3 Plasticity Index
Plasticity index is the range of water content over which the soil remains in the plastic state. It is equal
to the numerical difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit.
4.2 PH
The object is to determine the Hydrogen ion concentration, designated as PH of soils.The pH value of a
solution is measure of its acidity or alkalinity. PH equal to 7 indicates a neutral solution, less than 7 as acidic and
greater than 7 as alkaline. The pH value is equal to the common logarithm of the reciprocal of the Hydrogen ion
concentration.
PH=log10(1/H+)
Where H = Hydrogen ion concentration (moles/liter)
The PH value can be determined by the following methods.
Electrometric method, calorimetric and indictor paper methods. The electrometric is the standard
method of accurate work.
The electrometric method is based on the principle (Housel, 1964) that the solution under test can be
considered as an electrolyte of a voltaic cell.
10g of pulverized and representative soil sample passing through 425- I.S. sieve is taken in 100 ml
beaker and 100 ml water is added. The suspension is stirred for a few minutes and covered with glass cover and
is allowed to stand for a few hours (at least one hour), preferably overnight. The suspension is stirred again
immediately before testing.

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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index of Expansive Soil
The buffer solution having a PH value nearer to the expected PH value of the soil suspension is used.
The electrodes are washed with distilled water and then immersed in the soil suspension. Two or three reading
of the PH of the suspension are taken with brief stirring in between the readings. The readings only when the PH
meter has reached equilibrium, which may take about 1 minute, are recorded. These readings, which are taken,
have to agree with in 0.05 pH units. The same procedure has been followed for other percentages of Textile
effluent.
4.3 Differential Free Swell Index
This test is conducted on the expansive soil treated with Textile effluent in varying percentages from
0% to 100% in increments of 20%. Two samples of the dried soil weighing 10g each passing through 425- I.S.
sieve are taken. One sample is put slowly in a 100 ml graduated glass cylinder having kerosene (a non-polar
liquid). The other sample is similarly put in another 100 ml glass cylinder having distilled water. Both the
samples are left for 24hours and then their volumes are noted. Differential Free Swell Index is calculated by the
formula given below.
1 2
=
100
V1
V1 = Soil volume in distilled water
V2 =Soil volume in kerosene

V. Results And Discussions

5.1Liquid Limit
The results of liquid limit tests conducted at different percentage of Textile effluent are presented in
Fig.5.1. From the figure,it is observed that liquid limit at 0% of Textile effluent is higher when compared to
other percentages and the value is 84%. The maximum decrease in Liquid limit is 30.95% which occurs at 100%
of Textile effluent. There is a relation between compression index and liquid limit of the soil. Therefore,
consolidation settlements are decreased due to Textile effluent.
5.2Plastic Limit
Plastic limit values of different percentages of Textile effluent are presented inFig 5.1.The plastic limit
value of the untreated soil is 36%. From the figure, it is found that plastic limit value of the treated soil
decreases with increase in percentage of Textile effluent.
5.3Plasticity Index
Plasticity index values are calculated for different percentages of Textile effluent and are presented in
Fig 5.1. The plasticity index of untreated soil is 48%. The plasticity index values of the treated soil for all
percentages of Textile effluent are smaller than that of the untreated soil.

FIG 5.1: Variation of Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, Plasticity Index with Percentage of Textile Effluent

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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index of Expansive Soil
5.4 PH
PH values for the soil treated with different percentages of Textile effluent are measured and are
presented in Fig 5.2. The PH value of untreated soil is 8.83.From the Fig 5.2, it is observed that, the PHvalue of
treated soil decreases with per cent increase in Textile effluent.

FIG 5.2: Variation of Ph with Percentage of Textile Effluent

5.5 Differential Free Swell Index
The variation of Differential Free Swell Index with per cent Textile effluent is shown in Fig 5.3. From
the figure, it is observed that the Differential Free Swell Index decreases with percent increase in Textile
effluent. The percent decrease in the Differential Free Swell Index is about 41.61 at 100% of Textile effluent.

FIG5.3: Variation of Differential Free Swell Index with Percentage of Textile Effluent

VI. Summary And Conclusions

Textile industry produces considerable amount of pollutants, since it is a wet processing system. The
wide variety of polluting chemicals and dye stuffs is utilized in a Textile industry. The dyeing effluent
treatments are more complex than any other industrial waste water purification, because of the fact no two
dyeing effluents are alike in character, nor can two effluents be purified or treated by exactly the same
treatment. Effluent from dyeing unit varies from time to time based on the change in market demand.

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Effects of Textile Effluent on the Differential Free Swell Index of Expansive Soil
Hence, in this investigation the effect of Textile effluent on plasticity, PH and Differential Free
Swelling Index, of expansive soil treated with Textile effluent has been given due importance.
Both the Liquid limit and Plastic limit values of the treated soil decrease with increase in percentage of
Textile effluent.
The Plasticity index values of treated soil for all percentages of Textile effluent are lower than that of the
untreated soil.
The addition of Textile effluent reduces the pH of the soil slightly.
Differential Free Swelling index with increase in percent Textile effluent.
The treated soil is less susceptible to heaving and shrinkage at 100% Textile effluent.

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